Ingredients with clarity

At this time of year, all we hear about are the “healthy alternatives” which offer the prospect of a more energised and ultimately happier version of YOU. Between signing up to the gym and stocking our kitchens with all the ingredients to fuel our new clean-living lifestyle, our funds can end up a little depleted.

You get what you pay for but in the long term it really pays to know what you’re getting … so it's really important to read those labels and check out what ingredients are present.

Vegetable oils versus olive oils and coconut oils

Sunflower and corn oils have been touted as the “healthier” option, but these past recommendations are now being questioned and people are returning to more stable fats when cooking such as olive oil, coconut oil and butter. Saturated fats like coconut oil and mono-unsaturated fats like olive oil are much more stable and offer a raft of health benefits and that's why we only use olive oil and coconut oil in our dressings and soups.

Peanut butter versus almond/cashew butter

Peanuts can cause unpleasant digestive issues for some people, which is why we use almond and cashew nut butters in our dressings and sweet treats. Yes, it's more expensive. But we feel it's vital to ensure we are using the very best ingredients based on current and ever changing nutritional information.

Agave Syrup versus Raw Honey, Maple Syrup & Dates

Still seen by some as the low GI sugar solution to all their sweet tooth problems, we are now being told that agave isn't the sweet saviour we once thought it was. Remember sugar is sugar as far as your body is concerned, but certainly with ingredients like dates, there is some nutritional benefit too. We are fans of honey, but not all vegans are, which is why we use maple syrup and coconut sugar.

Cassia cinnamon versus Ceylon cinnamon

This is so crazy! Cinnamon offers potential benefits on glucose metabolism, sugar cravings and weight management and also contains antioxidant compounds similar to those in green tea. But the most common form of cinnamon we find on the spice shelves of supermarkets is Cassia cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon contains much higher concentrations of coumarin, which is a compound that can be toxic if taken in high doses. Although both types of cinnamon offer plenty of health benefits, the Ceylon Cinnamon is the only one we use in Alchemy.